Wednesday, September 7, 2016

Coup d’état plans for today

The coup d’état predicted
by the Venezuelan government for September 1 failed to materialized. Government
officials claim this is because they have averted the coup by arresting several
opposition leaders and dismantling what it says were “paramilitary camps” with
links to the opposition.

Coup plans are still
active and adapting to circumstances, according
to officials. The opposition has called for new nationwide protests for
today to push for a recall referendum against president Maduro. Opposition
followers are to gather in front of regional offices of the elections ruling
body CNE until 2:00pm and then disperse peacefully. The government is again
claiming that the protest is part of a coup d’état plan by the opposition.

The head of the intelligence
police SEBIN, Gustavo González López, says that today’s coup attempt is part of
a plot denominated “Plan
7S.”

The opposition
leaders arrested before September 1, Selson Guarate, Daniel Ceballos, Carlos
Melo, Yon Goicochea, and Lester Toledo (still not arrested), were named by
González López as leaders of the “conspiracy plans and terrorist acts” for
September 1, but that would be “reedited” today. Also, according to González
López, part of the plot is ex-president of Colombia, Álvaro Uribe.